This application relates generally to mobile devices. More specifically, this application relates to management of data stored on mobile devices.
The use of mobile devices, including mobile telephones, personal-digital assistants, and the like, has both been increasing in recent years and becoming more diverse in application. For example, when mobile telephones were initially introduced to the marketplace, they used cellular technology to permit telephone connections to be established but had little other functionality. Now, mobile telephones are frequently equipped with a variety of different functionality, including digital cameras, Internet browser capabilities, email capabilities, digital-music functionality, video-streaming functionality, and the like. It is expected that the functionality of such mobile devices will yet continue to expand. This functionality is supported by large data-storage capabilities, with mobile telephones now frequently having storage capacities on the order of gigabytes.
One consequence of this expanded functionality and data-storage capability is that the data on mobile devices is now frequently of greater value than the mobile device itself. In many instances, the data stored on the device may include sensitive electronic-mail communications or other documents—data that might, for instance, be highly sought as a target of corporate espionage, particularly for mobile devices owned by high-level executives, political figures, and the like. Indeed, there appears to be evidence that theft of mobile devices is now motivated more by a desire to gain access to the data on the device than to acquire the device itself. Of course, the concern about the security of information that resides on the device is prompted not only by fears of potential theft, but also by the possibility that the device will be mislaid or lost.
There is accordingly a general need in the art for improved methods and systems for managing the security of data on mobile devices.